First time out for Judith, and she loves it

GREEN PARTY candidate Judith Ashton has never before been involved in politics. But the British-born Thomastown woman has had her share of involvement in political life.

A row between the mother-of-two and near neighbour, Independent councillor Dixie Doyle, about a site she wanted to develop but he wanted to buy, became the focus of an RTÉ Prime Time special in 2001.

Cllr Doyle tried to persuade Ms Ashton to sell her site at Carrickmourne to him for £47,500 (€60,325) in 1999, but she refused. Ms Ashton claimed city and county manager Paddy Donnelly subsequently approached her and asked her would she reconsider.

A few months later she was allocated a much-sought-after, council-owned private site in Inistioge, even though she never even applied for it. The county manager was later forced to publicly apologise to her, after the then Environment Minister, Noel Dempsey, intervened in the matter.

“The whole experience did influence my decision to run, but it was not the primary one,” the president of the Irish Massage Therapists Association said. “When the Green Party first asked me to run, I felt I didn’t have enough experience.

“But then I thought, I’ve had a whole life experience and I’m now delighted I’m in the race.

It’s my first time off the blocks and I’m loving every single moment of it. I’m walking my socks off and I’m getting to meet loads of people.

Ms Ashton will push for greater transparency in government, as well as pushing the agenda of some of the smaller communities in the county which are just not getting their share.

“A lot of women I’m meeting on the doorstep want a good woman in the county council. A lot of young people also want someone who knows the issues impacting on them.

I’ve always voted Green and have been involved in Greenpeace. I live a green life, have a second-hand dog and a second hand car. I’m giving it my best shot,” she said.

Ms Ashton is one of 50 candidates bidding for one of 26 seats on Kilkenny County Council. Among those running are 17 Fine Gael, 17 Fianna Fail, 7 Labour, 3 Greens, 2 Sinn Fein, 1 PD and three non-party.